Virginia gubernatorial election, 2017

Virginia gubernatorial election, 2017

November 7, 2017

Party Democratic Republican

Incumbent Governor Terry McAuliffe Democratic

The Virginia gubernatorial election of 2017 will take place on November 7, 2017. The incumbent Governor, Democrat Terry McAuliffe, is not eligible to run for re-election due to term limits established by the Virginia Constitution. Virginia is the only state that prohibits its Governor from serving immediate successive terms.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Ralph Northam, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia^[1][2]

Potential

• Gerry Connolly, U.S. Representative^[2][3]

Declined

• Mark Herring, Attorney General of Virginia (running for re-election)^[4]

Polling

Republican nomination

The Republican Party will select its nominee for Governor, as well as for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General in a statewide convention.^[5]

Candidates

Declared

• Ed Gillespie, former Chairman of the Republican National Committee and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2014^[6]
• Rob Wittman, U.S. Representative^[7]

Potential

• Bill Bolling, former Lieutenant Governor of Virginia^[8]
• Eric Cantor, former Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives and former U.S. Representative^[9][10][11]
• Randy Forbes, U.S. Representative^[12][13]
• Jeff McWaters, State Senator^[14][15][16]
• Pete Snyder, technology executive and candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2013^[14][17]
• Bill Stanley, State Senator^[14][17]
• Corey Stewart, Chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 2013^[14]
• Frank Wagner, State Senator^[18][19][20]

Declined

• Mark Obenshain, State Senator and nominee for Attorney General in 2013^[21]
• Thomas Garrett, Jr., State Senator (running for Congress in VA-05)^[22]
• Ken Cuccinelli, former Attorney General of Virginia and nominee for Governor in 2013^[23]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Bill Bolling	Eric Cantor	Ken Cuccinelli	Ed Gillespie	Mark Obenshain	Pete Snyder	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 13–15, 2015	502	4.4%	8%	16%	37%	8%	7%	1%	23%

General election

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Ralph Northam (D)	Ed Gillespie (R)	Other	Undecided
University of Mary Washington	November 4-9, 2015	656 LV	± 4.3%	32%	44%	1%	16%
		814 RV	± 3.9%	33%	40%	1%	18%
Public Policy Polling	July 13–15, 2015	1,170	± 2.9%	30%	40%	—	32%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Ralph Northam (D)	Eric Cantor (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 13–15, 2015	1,170	± 2.9%	33%	35%	—	32%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Ralph Northam (D)	Ken Cuccinelli (R)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling	July 13–15, 2015	1,170	± 2.9%	35%	37%	—	28%

See also

• Virginia gubernatorial election, 2013
• Governors of Virginia

References

1. Vozzella, Laura (February 24, 2015). "Ralph Northam confirms he’s running to become next Va. governor". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
2. Vozzella, Laura (November 17, 2015). "Virginia’s lieutenant governor makes it official: He’s seeking state’s top job". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
3. Portnoy, Jenna; Vozzella, Laura (September 2, 2015). "Va. attorney general to seek reelection, won’t run for governor in 2017". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
4. Schmidt, Markus (September 2, 2015). "AG Mark Herring to run for re-election instead of governor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
5. Schapiro, Jeff (June 27, 2015). "Va. GOP chooses primary for 2016 presidential choice; convention for governor in 2017". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
6. Vozzella, Laura (October 2, 2015). "Gillespie confirms he is running for Va. governor". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
7. Portnoy, Jenna (December 12, 2015). "GOP Congressman Rob Wittman readies to jump into Va. governor's race". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 12, 2015.
8. Cain, Andrew (November 10, 2014). "Gillespie says he's not interested in running for governor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
9. Wong, Scott (September 2, 2014). "Cantor's next act: GOP power broker?". The Hill. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
10. Steinberg, David (January 23, 2015). "Was Strange Cantor Event Prelude to ‘Cantor for Virginia Governor 2017′?". PJ Media. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
11. Sullivan, Peter (January 29, 2015). "Cantor heads to Harvard". The Hill. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
12. Fredericks, John (January 21, 2014). "Forbes Eyes 2017 Gov. Bid". The John Fredericks Show. Archived from the original on January 29, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
13. Pershing, Ben (October 29, 2014). "What Is Ed Gillespie's Backup Plan?". National Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
14. Vozzella, Laura; Portnoy, Jenna (October 3, 2015). "In a year of outsider politics, Gillespie faces GOP skeptics". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
15. Wilson, Patrick (February 26, 2015). "Virginia Beach Sen. Jeff McWaters won't seek re-election". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
16. Wilson, Patrick (September 14, 2015). "Jeff McWaters considers political future after Virginia Senate". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
17. Martin, Jeanine (December 17, 2014). "Morning Line Odds on Virginia State Wide Races – 2017 by Guest Poster John Fredericks". The Bull Elephant. Retrieved March 3, 2015.
18. Schapiro, Jeff (October 3, 2015). "The Republican Terry McAuliffe". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
19. Fain, Travis (December 8, 2014). "Fredericks: Frank Wagner running for governor". Daily Press. Retrieved December 5, 2014.
20. Fain, Travis (December 10, 2014). "Wagner: Slow that roll on 2017". Daily Press. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
21. Portnoy, Jenna (September 28, 2015). "Obenshain will not run for Virginia governor; Gillespie will enter race". Washington Post. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
22. "Senator Tom Garrett, Jim McKelvey announce candidacy for Congress". December 24, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
23. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/cuccinelli-will-not-run-for-governor-in-2017/2016/04/30/3a89b3a2-0ef4-11e6-8ab8-9ad050f76d7d_story.html?wpisrc=al_alert-COMBO-politics%252Blocal-politics%252Blocal-all

External Links

• Ralph Northam for Governor